Project Title: Violin is for Cool Kids

Project Description: The basic ideas of this project are continuing my technical exercises (scales, études), preparing my audition pieces, and working on my current working pieces. And band music. And orchestra music. One good focus for this semester will be bow techniques. I will be working towards an end-of-year senior recital.
Project Rationale: I chose this topic because it is a major part of what I hope to do in the future, and sometimes it is really hard to find a good chunk of time after school to fit in some practice. This will also be a good time and place to experience the components put into planning and executing a recital.
Components for Mastery: It would be good to review parts of the violin - I feel pretty confident that I know pretty much all the parts, but continuing to study them and learn more about the specific function of each will give me some good information to know for the future. I will have to use my scale book(s), étude and book(s), and working pieces. I want to learn the names of different bow techniques and also practice the execution of them.
Research: Most of my resources will be music and papers that I already have, although the internet will be a good place to look for some of the technical things like bow techniques and parts of the violin. I could also talk to Joana about bow techniques.
Outline of Process:
  • Acquire Resources - all of the books and music I already have, and whatever Joana gives me
  • Develop Warm Up Routine - scales/arpeggios - 20 minutes
  • Technical Advancement - études - 20 minutes
  • Reading Skills - books from home - 10 minutes
  • Repertoire Study - Bach Partita No. 2, Viotti Concerto, Kreisler Praeludium and Allegro, etc. - 35 minutes
1. In terms of scales, I have memorized all major and melodic minor 3-octave scales and arpeggios, so the next logical step is to memorize harmonic and natural minor scales and arpeggios, and the other arpeggios that I have in my scale book. I can make a chart/plan to decide how many/which ones to do per week (using my scale book for reference). These will happen throughout the semester.2. Études/bow studies will be very close to the same as the scales. My pace in that respect has a lot to do with Joana, because she is the one that assigns them. Most of the bow studies, though, will be independent, although perhaps with her guidance.3. Work on polishing pieces for a senior recital (Bach Partita No. 2, allemanda and giga; Nardini Concerto in E Minor, first movement; Kreisler Praeludium and Allegro; Viotti Concerto - at least the first movement; and whatever else Joana assigns between now and then that might work.)4. Based on Plan A, violin prep will probably get two days a week, so I will have approximately 28 in-class days to work on it. I have a practice book that my teacher writes my weekly work in that has a place to record practice times, which I've never done, but that can be how I will record my work.
Creative Work and Presentation: All of this will lead to the senior recital. In order to incorporate the technical part (the parts of a violin), I could prepare a posterboard-type presentation to display at the reception after the recital.

Evaluation: The senior recital will be the culmination of it all - if it all happens more or less as planned, and I don't totally bomb it, I will declare this project a success! Senior recital - in Riley Center - process of choosing and preparing the pieces (possibly violin AND piano), finding an accompanist (Joana?), doing research about the program selections, making programs and invitations, reception, also choosing a date and time and securing the venue - dress rehearsal for musician's process class, perhaps?

MY USUAL WARM-UP/PRACTICE ROUTINE:

1. the scale (with arpeggios) that Joana has assigned me2. review of memorized past scales/arpeggios (usually about 2)3. current étude or study - I have double-stop exercises, of which I'm supposed to do 3 or so a day, and some photocopied pages from a bow technique book about spiccato, of which I'm supposed to do 3 or so a day.4. currently, I review the Bach Partita No. 2 Allemanda or Kreisler's Praeludium and Allegro, whichever I feel like playing5. I spend a good amount of time on both of my working pieces, the Partita No. 2 Giga and the Viotti concert movement one, using the practice method (chunks, 3x, slowly) - a LOT6. I finish up with band and orchestra music; for band, I work on what the lesson plan sheet says, and for orchestra, I usually work on one or two of the pieces per day.